Drowning Does not look like Drowning

[RedSledTeam]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

It is. I have never read it, and thought it was great material for new and old kayakers alike.

Yes Frank I agree this is great material for kayakermen young and old and experienced. Here's a personal account from a close friend of mine who fished last year's Moyer event and had a harrowing incident but didn't tell me until today. He was in denial the entire time until he read this article. Now he'd like to share his personal experience so that we can understand that it can happen to anyone. Ron is no rookie to kayaking as we have been kayak surfing together since the early 1980's.....

"Yes this is a great article.

Feel free to share this description below– I hope it may help to help wake others up enough to avoid what I went through.

I can attest and validate several points as I was just past the threshold and entered the instinctive drowning response about a year ago.

I can attest that my life preserver/vest was within an arms reach, but I was beyond scared at the thought of dropping my head underwater in an effort to retrieve it, I had no voice left and could not speak, there was no splashing and I had visions of downward sinking supported by my near inability to hang on to my kayak due to the simultaneous (i) water loading of my clothes, (ii) less that optimum physical condition and (iii) outright panic. I knew I physically had only one more try in me to get on top of my Kayak - otherwise for me to live someone would have to drag me from under the water and then help me get on top of the kayak – which was not going to happen.


Fortunately, in a most genuine existential moment I pulled myself on top the kayak panicked, breathing deeper, and as rapid as I had ever done before. I was nothing less that grateful that another kayaker came over to steady my boat for at least 15 minutes before I had enough courage to re-seat myself moving from my stomach to a seated position ever so cautiously. However, I have no doubt that he would have been too late in arriving if I was not able to get on top my boat by myself. I took a direct path to the shore watching for anything that might tip me, with the adrenalin forced reaction of leaving my body from within with my stomach in knots for about 10 minutes. I can tell you the reaction is fright, flight, and elimination as part of the post drowning response.

I can also tell you that

(1) my head was low in the water, mouth at water level
(2) Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
(3) Hair over forehead or eyes
(4) Not using legs – Vertical – until I was ready to give it one last go
(5) Hyperventilating or gasping VIOLENTLY
(6) hanging on to my kayak with all that I had, with my strength fading
(7) and appeared to be climbing an invisible ladder.
Safety first – please.

Ron"